Issues

Yesterday, my student Edward told me, “Miss, I’ve been here longer than you. I’ve been here longer than Mr. Garcia, Mrs. Stepps and Mr. Burns. Only Miss Sally and Miss Martin have been here longer than me.”

This is true. He has come to our program every year for the last five years. He does well, and then he returns to his home school where he gets kicked out again and comes back. He keeps saying, “Miss, why can’t I just stay here?”

I really don’t have an answer for him that makes sense.

Edward is not the only student who has been here five years running. Portia is another student who keeps coming back, time and time again. There’s a difference, though. Portia has “issues”. She doesn’t do well at our school or any other school, ever.

It’s easy to understand what the issues are. Two years ago, I called CPS (Child Protective Services) because the child had scars and recent wounds on her hands and arms from being beat with the buckle end of a belt.

Boy was Portia’s mom mad. I spent a lot of time thinking about whether or not I’d done the right thing. As a teacher, I was mandated to call CPS or lose my job. As a human being, I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. I knew, however, that CPS probably wouldn’t do very much to help the situation, much less calm down Portia’s mom.

We never saw the wounds again, but once her mother popped out of her car in the morning during drop-off and yelled, “Don’t you be telling them white people nothing! Not a damn thing!”

I seriously doubt Portia’s mom has forgotten that we are the folks who got her investigated. Portia’s new dysfunctional behavior at school is to say that staff have wronged her in some way and that she’s going to tell her mom. This has happened three times this year, and twice, we’ve been able to work it out.

The third time was an educator’s worst nightmare. Portia had been talking to one of our aides, Miss Summer, waving her hands about as she expressed herself. Her hand struck Miss Summer’s hand, which then clipped Portia under the chin.

There were no injuries, it was just one of those stupid things that happen where no one is usually even remotely fazed. Not this time, though.

The next day, Portia’s mom was up at the office, threatening all sorts of things. She went to the administration office as well. Miss Summer was put on administrative leave until the “investigation” is complete.

Good grief.

Thank goodness another teacher saw the whole thing and can witness that it was an accident. I’m sure Miss Summer’s job will be okay, although her pride won’t be.

Right now, I am feeling an odd sort of survivor’s guilt, since I can’t help but be grateful that Portia isn’t in MY classroom.

Poor Portia, caught between a crazy mama, her own issues and a school she hates.

Photo credit: Daniel James